Tasty Healthy Snacks to Boost Your Energy

The heat of summer can quickly zap your energy, so it's beneficial to have a variety of healthy snacks on hand. I prefer to make a weeks' worth of snacks at once and divide into individual portions. When it's hot outside and I'm hungry or in a hurry the last thing I want to do is make something to eat. I'd rather grab something cold from the fridge or bagged in the pantry.

Summer months make it easy to make tasty healthy snacks thanks to the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. If there's a Farmer's Market in your area consider investing your money in locally grown seasonal produce. Not only are you boosting local economy, produce is fresh and picked when ripe. Many of the farmers grow organic produce and offer more affordable prices than grocery stores.

Energy-boosting snacks need to be comprised of a protein and complex carbohydrate. Combined, these nutrients offer sustained energy instead of the burst provided through stimulants such as sugar and caffeine.

High protein foods include: nuts and seeds, beans, eggs and dairy products. Complex carbohydrate foods include: whole grains such as brown rice, oats, bran, and wholegrain breads. The majority of my healthy summertime snacks consist of nuts, seeds, oats, fruits, and vegetables. These foods can be combined in hundreds of ways so you never get bored with the same snacks.

Homemade Granola Bars

I love granola bars because they are easy to transport and can be eaten while traveling. When I fly you'll find my purse stuffed with at least four of them. Store bought granola bars can be quite costly and many contain the dreaded high fructose corn syrup.

For years I attempted to create the perfect granola bar. Mine always come out too sticky, too dry, or with too little flavor. I finally found the solution to my problem when I discovered the Homemade Granola Bars recipe at CookingWithMyKid.com. This food blogger uses muffin tins to form her granola bars and it's a brilliant idea!

We call them granola cakes at our house because they are shaped like rice cakes, but taste like granola. Kids love them because they're round and include chopped fruits and nuts. They can be stored in plastic bags or containers and are easy to transport. Homemade granola bars are perfect for refueling after a day of energy-zapping activities and a great take along for sporting events, picnics, and beach parties.

Fruit, Cheese, and Nut Salad

I think I could eat fruit salad every day and never tire of it. There are so many varieties that you could make something new every day for at least an entire year. I love most types of melons, but watermelon, cantaloupe, and honeydew are my favorites. I also love grapes, berries, bananas, kiwi, oranges, tangerines, mango, papaya, pomegranates, figs, raisins, apples, pears, and kumquats.

While some fruits marry better than others, for the most part you can combine any kind of fruits to make a salad. Some fruits have high levels of fructose, so I try to create a balance by combining apples or pears with strawberries and grapes.

Adding a small handful of raw cashews, almonds or pistachios is a good source of energy-boosting protein and adds a nice crunch to the fruit. Toss in an ounce of crumbled feta or bleu cheese and you have a tasty healthy snack that can keep your engine running for a few more hours.

Hummus and Fresh Veggies

Cutting up fresh veggies and storing in snack sized bags is a great way to grab nutrition on the go. A lot of people slather calorie-laden sour cream based dips on their fresh veggies as a way to mask the flavor. A great alternative is hummus; a creamy dip made from garbanzo beans and tahini - a paste made from sesame seeds.

Hummus has a mild flavor that pairs well with red, green and yellow bell peppers, baby carrots, celery sticks, eggplant cubes, zucchini slices, radishes, and endive leaves. Hummus is not only a great veggie dip it also makes a great condiment for sandwiches and wraps.

Vegetables are a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates, while hummus offers a dose of protein. Hummus and fresh vegetables are perfect for summer picnics, cookouts, and gathering with friends around the pool.


Sources:
CookingWithMyKid.com: Homemade Granola Bars recipe
Epicurious: Hummus Recipe

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Eight Cheap Healthy Energy-Boosting Foods